Amusement device



D. L. ALGER AMUSEMENT DEVICE Jan. 3, 1933.

Filed July 2, 1951 5 Sheets -Sheet l Invenlor 012 l i er' Jan. 3, 1933. D. 1.. ALGER AMUSEMENT DEVICE Fi l ed July 2. 19:51

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imvcnlor 1 022 zk zj flllomey Jan. 3, D L, GER 1,893,121

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed July 2, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 3, 1933 DON L. ALGER, OF AVALON, CALIFORNIA AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to a game device, the primary object of this invention being to provide a game which will afford amusement to the children, as well as adults, and which will require but a minimum amount of skill, is free of intricate playing rules and regulations, and can be manufactured and retailed at a nominal cost.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus which may be played by one or more persons, and which broadly consists in a playing field, having arranged thereon a plurality of confining pens, together with mechanical playing pieces movable over the playing field, the intent,

purpose and object being to have the me chanical game piece enter and be confined within that confining pen having the highest scoring value.

: Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein z- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the playing board.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view therethrough, on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the me- 1 chanical game piece.

F g. 4 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detailed sectional elevation views, taken substantially on the line 77 and 66 respectively of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a manually operable brake device.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a recording a0 device, the same being shown mounted on a wall of the playing field.

With reference more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen that the playing field is a box-like structure, including a field or bottom 5, formed of wood or other suitable ma terial and having rising therefrom and extending thereabout, a marginal wall 6 of suitable height.

Arranged adjacent each end of the game field is a substantially U-shaped abutment 1931. Serial No. 548,435.

bar 7 formed of wire or other suitable mate rial and having opposite end portions engaging the inner sides of the longitudinal walls of the playing field, and the connecting portlon engaging the inner side of an adjacent end wall of the playing field.

Each of the U-shaped members 7 at their free ends have inwardly directed terminals 8, adjacent terminals 8 providing lateral con fining pens 9, whose scoring value in the pres ent instance is three points, properly indicated in Fig. 1.

There is also provided a plurality of arouate or semi-circular abutments 10 formed of spring wire or other suitable material and these abutments 1.0 at each corner of the field are arranged in pairs disposed opposite to one another and slightly offset relative to one another to provide confining pens 11 opening at substantially diametrically opposite sides thereof. The scoring value of one pen 11 at each end of the field is fifteen, and of the other pen 11 at each end of the field, twenty, as also clearly indicated.

At substantially the center of the board, there is arranged two abutment members 10 similar in construction to the members 10 and these members 10 are disposed at opposite sides of a substantially S-shaped abutment member 10" which provides therewith 30 two alined pens 11 each of which open at one end adjacent a corresponding end of the abutment member 10 and also open at a point intermediate the ends of the abutment member 10".

These pens 11 each have a scoring value of twenty-five points.

Any number of mechanical game pieces designated generally by the reference character 12 may be used in playing the game. Each of the game pieces 12 is suitably shaped, formed, and otherwise provided as to simulate, for example in the present instance, a beetle or other type of bug, which comprises asubstantially frame-like part 13 within the bottom portion of a metallic housing 14, that is provided with eyes, ears, and is of a shape corresponding somewhat to the shape of a beetle or like bug. At the forward end of the frame, the same is provided with a projection 15, upon which is rotatably mounted asat 16 a circular bumper 17, which bumper 17 upon coming into contact with an abutment member 10, 10 or any of the other abutments, will cause the mechanical game piece to turn readily in its movement over the playing surface.

The frame 13 in its forward end is supported on rollers 18 journalled on a transverse a-Xle 19 supported in the frame. Tread wheels 20 are also provided for the bug, and these wheels are journaled on a transverse axle 21. 1

A spring motor drives the wheels 20 an this motor designated generally by the reference character 22 is suitably connected to a shaft 23, which shaft, through the medium of suitable gearing, designated generally by the reference character 24 drives axle 21 for rotating the wheels 20.

A suitable brake device is provided and the same comprises a substantially threaded U-shaped member 25, the end portions of which at their free terminals are pivoted within the frame 13 as at 25. From the upper closed end of the member 25 projects an arm 27 adapted to engage a pinion 28 that forms a part of the gear train 24, and obviously when the member 27 engages the pinion 28, the train of gearing is stopped, so that no power is transmitted to the axle 2 1.

An operating handle for the member 25 is provided, the same being designated by the reference character 29. The handle 29 projects from the upper end of the member 25 and is operable in a suitable slot 30 provided at the top of the casing part 14 of the bug or beetle.

A suitable recording dial designated generally, by the reference character 31 is also provided, and this dial 31, among other parts, includes a standard 32 the lower end of which fits in a suitable socket 83 provided on the wall 6. On. the upper end of the standard is a suitable housing within which is a spring motor (not shown) controlled by a suitable key device 34, and provided with a suitable braking device including a spring-pressed actuating button 35.

The face of the dial is designated generally by the reference character 36 and the pointer by the reference character 37. As shown in Fig. 9 the pointer 37 is adapted to rotate in a clockwise direction.

The purpose of the device 31, is to limit the playing time, that is to say, when a beetle is put into play, the brake device of the dial 31 is released, and the player must have all his beetles in motion before the pointer of the dial has completed one full revolution.

From the foregoing then, it will be seen that in playing the game, one or more persons may participate therein. Each player stations himself atone end of the board, and

Winds the motors ofhis beetles, each player being provided with two, three, four or more bugs as found desirable. When the bugs or objects have been completely wound, and properly positioned at one end of the playing field, each player, simultaneously with the release of the motor of the timing device releases the motor of each of his objects 01' bugs, and the latter then travel over the playing field, ranging in and out amongst the pens, seeking entrance into or escape from the pens. In this connection it will be noted that the bumpers 17 cooperate with the abutments defining the haphazardly arranged pens whereby the bugs or objects are caused to be so directed in their wanderings as to probably enter a pen and subsequently travel about within the pen as to appear to be seeking escape therefrom.

,Those beetles of any or all players not in movement when the pointer 37' has completed a full revolution, are ruled out of the game.

The object of each player is to attempt to place all his bugs or beetles in movement within the alloted time, and the object intent and purpose of the beetles moving over the board, is to enter a pen, and as is apparent, preferably value.

Thus for example, a bug which stops moving within an enclosure or pen wherein is the number 15, has registered fifteen points for the player using it and so forth. A set of bugs of one color which registers in this way, the highest number of points has won the game. Upon entering one of the circular enclosures or pens, it is apparent that a beetle can hardly crawl out because of the peculiar design of the pen which causes the beetle to move readily around within the enclosure until the spring motor of the beetle is fully unwound. A collision with another bug is probably about the only way that a beetle may be turned so as to get out of an enclosure after once entering.

Thus the bugs belonging to one player will be all colored uniformly. and theset of bugs will be colored differently.

Even though I have herein shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment of the in- 7 provide a plurality of substantially circular confining pens, with the corresponding ends of oppositely disposed abutments relatively spaced to provide substantially alined entrance and exit openings for each pen, and a a pen of the highest scoring self-propelled object adapted to travel within and outside the pens.

2. A device of the class described, a plurality of abutments having arcuate portions and arranged with the arcuate portions of adjacent abutments confronting each other and providing a plurality of haphazardly arranged pens having entrance and exit openings, and a self-propelled object adapted to range in and out of and amongst the pens and having means whereby it may cooperate with said ab-utments for causing it to seek entrance or exit from a pen.

3. In an amusement device, a walled playing field, a plurality of haphazardly arranged pens within the confines of the Wall of the playing field, each pen comprising a plurality of curved abutments the arcuate portions of which confront each other and the corresponding ends of which extend in relatively spaced parallelism to provide entrance and exit openings for the pen, and a self propelled object adapted to travel over said playing field and including a nose portion having a member rotatably supported thereon to engage said abutments to change the direction of travel of said object Without wholly retarding the progress of said object.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DON L. ALGER. 

